Toilet flush tank refill device



llllllflllllll 1m muuu April 8, 1952 O. E. SQUTHWICK TOILET FLUSH ATANK 'REFILL DEVICE Filed sept. 9, 195o Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOILET FLUSH TANK REFILL DEVICE Orion Emory Southwick, Port Chicago, Calif.

Application September 9, 1950, Serial No. 184,078

(ci. 1 -41j Claims.

This invention relates to flush tank renll devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ush tank refill device to eliminate the need for the long arm and large float and to provide a oat arrangement which will not become water-logged as a result of leakage of the iioat.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a flush tank shut-01T valve device which will not make a sizzling noise before shutting off and which will not admit more water to the toilet tank than will flow out of the overilow pipe.

Other objects `of the present invention are to provide a iiush tank rell device which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has fewer working parts than the ordinary arrangement, free from corrosion of valve seats causing the diminished ilow of water, compact, easy to install, easy to adjust, has long life and eiiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the iiush tank reiill device constructed according to one formof the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the manually operated valve guide lift arm for initiating the flow of water to the tank after the iiushing operation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the iiush tank rei'lll device constructed according to another form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a still further form of the invention utilizing different iioat arrangement.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I0 represents a nipple to which a water supply pipe is connected. Secured to this nipple is a valve casing II. This casing is supported Within the ush tank by a bracket I2 clamped, as indicated at I3, to a drain pipe I4. The lower end of the casing II is internally threaded, as indicated at I5, and has a second valve casing I6 threaded thereto. This casing I6 has a valve element I'I that will be normally supported on valve seat I8. This valve element is weighted and the lower end thereof engages with an operating arm I9 which is secured by a pivot pin on bracket 2|. The bracket 2| is mounted on the side of the valve casing I6 and the operating arm I9 is worked up and down in a vertical slot 22. When the valve element I'l is lifted, water from the casing I I will pass downwardly over the seat I8 and into the flush tank to reiill the same. The arm I9 has a slot 23 through which extends an operating rod 24 of the flush tank valve 25. The upper end of the rod 24 is connected to an operating arm 26 that is pivoted upon flush tank casing 2l and which is operated by a handle 28 lying on the exterior of the flush tank. In the bottom of the ilush tank is a valve seat 29 on which the iiush valve 25 normally rests.

As the valve element I1 is lifted, there will be a large flow of water tending to rell the tank, but this flow will be discontinued when the handle 28 is released and will continue upwardly through the casing II past a valve element 30 which is adjustably connected, as indicated at 32, upon-a float bell 33. justed position upon Vthe depending central portion 34 of the bell 33 by a lock nut 35.

In the casing I I are openings 36 through which the water may pass upon being elevated in the casing II and past the valve element 30.

The bell oat 33 has radially inwardly extending ange 31 that is turned up at 38. A chamber 39 is provided for collecting the water and to weight the bell to some extent. This bell will accordingly silence the inward ow of water as the water will not 4strike the top surface of the Water with force `but will merely drain over the bent up ledge 38 and into the tank. As the water is elevated suiiiciently, the bell iioat will receive and collect air and will be elevated on the water surface to cause the valve element 30 to be lifted onto its seat whereby to shut off the total flow of water to the flush tank. At this time, the valve element I'I will have been lowered and closed.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, there is provided similar valve casings 4I and 42 which are connected together. In the lower casing 42 is valve element 43 which engages its seat 44 upon being released by its voperating arm 45. The operating arm is connected by bracket 46 to the side of the casing 42. The iiush valve 41 lifts the arm 45 and this arm 45 in turn lifts the valve element 43 to permit the initial ow of water into the flush tank.

Extending upwardly through the bottom of the flush tank is a water supply pipe 48 which has a T-iitting 49 at its upper end that is connected through a nipple 5I with the laterally extending portion 52 of the casing 4I. The valve element 53 therein has a long stem 54 which is threaded and connects with a top operating member 55.

The element 30 is iixed in its adupon the casing Il.

A slide casing 56 fits into the upper end of the casing 4I to prevent leakage out of the top thereof. A plurality of holes 51 permits the escape of the water from the top of the casing 4l.

On the top of the casing 4| is a bracket 58 that has a float arm 59 pivoted thereto. This float arm carries a oat B0. The float arm extends through the operating lug or member 55 and as the float is raised the valve element 53 will be lifted so that its head 6I engages with the seat in the casing 4| to close off finally the flow of water to the flush tank. The initial flow of water to the flush tank is started past valve 43 and continues past l until the float 60 operates to close it.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a sleeve 63 which can be placed over the upper casing Il with the valve element 53 shown in Fig. 4 so as to extend downwardly over the openings 36 for the purposeof directing the flow of water leaving openings 36 in Fig. 1 and downwardly. This sleeve G3 has an upstanding bracket '64 to which is pivotally connected a float arm 65 having float B6. This float 66 would pass through the member 55, as shown in Fig. 4. A set screw 61 will secure the sleeve 63 A lock nut holds the set screw in its securing position.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. l, the Valve can be adapted to different water pressures by adjusting the bell float 33 relative to the valve element 30. The water pressure acting upon the head of the valve element 30 will help to keep the valve open when it is down or to keep it closed when it is raised. In Fig. 1, when the water level reaches the bottom of the bell float 33, air will be trapped in the top thereof and the bell float 33 will be lifted. The bell float 33V is transformed from a dead weight to a float. The Water pressure within the casing Il combined with the float actions will shut 01T the valve. When the tank valve element 25 is again lifted, the valve element 30 will be lowered in the casing l I.

It will be apparent that there has been provided a flush tank rell device which has few working parts, is compact, eliminates the long arm and large float, that the valve seats are such that sticking of the valve elements upon them is not eilected, provides a oat which will not become water-logged or leak, eliminates the noise at the time of the final shutting off of the valve and keeps down the amount of overflow into the overflow pipe.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of my invention, what is claimed is:

l. A refill device for toilet flush tanks comprising an upper casing part, a water inlet extending laterally therefrom, a valve element upward in the said casing part, float means connected to the valve element to operate the same, a depending lower casing part secured to the lower end of the upper casing part, a valve element operable in said depending casing part, a flush tank valve operating arm means extendable from the lower casing part and adapted to engage with the flush tank valve to open the valve element initially in the depending casing part.

2. A refill device for toilet flush tanks comprising an upper casing part, a water inlet extending laterally therefrom, a valve element up-v ward in the said casing part, float means connected to the valve element to operate the same, a depending lower casing part secured to the lower end of the upper casing part, a valve element operable in said depending casing part, a ilush tank valve operating arm means extendable from the lower casing part and adapted to engage with the flush tank valve to open the valve element initially in the depending casing part, said float means comprising a bell shaped element adapted to extend downwardly over the top of the upper casing part, said upper casing part having outlet holes lying above the lower edge of the bell shaped part, said bell shaped part having a central depending portion tting the end of the upper casing part te` close the same and to serve as a guide for the valve element.

3. A refill device for flush tanks as defined in claim 2 and said float bell part having a radially inwardly extending flange with an upstanding circumferential lip whereby to permit the collection of water in the side of the bell float and prevent the noise of water under pressure striking the water surface.

4. A refill device for toilet fiush tanks as dened in claim 1 and said float means comprising a sleeve adaptedto fit the upper part of the upper casing, means for securing said sleeve thereupon against axial displacement relative thereto, a bracket portion extending upwardly from the sleeve, a float arm with a float thereon pivotally connected to the bracket arm, said upper casing valve element being threaded upon its upper end, a member carried by the float arm and threaded on the valve element, guide means connected to said member and slidable in the upper casing part.

5. The refill device, as set forth in claim 2, which includes an operating rod supporting said flush tank valve, and said operating arm means comprise an arm pivoted to the depending lower casing part and having a slot through which said operating rod extends.

ORIO'N EMORY SOUTHWICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,997,401 Barce Apr. 9, 1935 2,131,765 Teahen Oct. 4, 1938 2,341,116 Owens Feb. 8, 1944 2,527,909 Bowers Oct. 31, 1950 2,534,524 Molloy Dec. 19, 1950 

